Dental professionals generally utilize a plurality of dental devices when performing dental procedures on patients. Each device or implement is generally controlled using a foot pedal. Thus, a dental operatory room generally has a plurality of foot pedals located on the floor to allow the dentist to control the plurality of devices. The inventor herein has recognized that multiple foot pedals and their associated conduits and cords are a hindrance to the operator's mobility due to multitude of different foot pedals and their associated conduits and cords. Further, because the foot pedals are not standardized, each foot pedal often has a different level of control or “feel” such that the operator of the pedals fails to achieve a consistent level of control among the devices. Further, multiple foot pedals may cause confusion and increase the risk of an inadvertent activation of one of the foot pedals. Further, when a device associated with a foot pedal needs to be moved within an operatory room or between operatory rooms, an asepsis or contamination problem may occur. In particular, the operatory room floor and the foot pedal or cable associated with the foot pedal may not be sufficiently clean such that when the device is moved with the associated pedal, the pedal may undesirably contaminate the device.
Accordingly, the inventor herein has recognized that a need exists for an improved foot pedal control unit that reduces the number of foot pedals needed to control a plurality of dental or medical instruments.